Vote urged on proposed NICE Bus cuts

Transit advocates Monday called on Nassau County to put up for a vote the planned NICE Bus service changes, which they say are far more severe than the system's operator is letting on.

But officials with Veolia Transportation maintain that more people will benefit than be hurt by the service changes, which take effect April 8.

At a meeting of the legislature Monday, members of the Long Island Bus Riders Union asked lawmakers to call on Veolia to bring its planned service cuts before the county's newly created Transit Advisory Committee and hold a public hearing.

The cuts include increasing wait time on several lines and eliminating midday and weekend service on a few routes with low ridership. Under its contract with the county, Veolia only needs to bring cuts for a vote before the five-member committee if they reduce service on a route by 25 percent or more. The deepest planned cut -- on the N16 -- would reduce service by 24.11 percent, the riders union said.

The group said that the planned cuts also would impact people traveling to medical care and social service centers. And some riders without MetroCards and taking transfers may have to spend an additional $2.25 each way.

NICE Bus chief executive Michael Setzer said the number of people in that situation is "very small," and that Veolia's planned changes will be welcomed by most of its customers. Veolia officials noted that, on the vast majority of routes affected, service is being reduced by 5 percent or less.

Setzer added that, although he has invited the Transit Advisory Committee to review the service changes, he is against straying from Veolia's contract with the county. He said doing so would delay the changes, and increase the size of the system's deficit.

The service changes are meant to fill a $7.3 million gap in NICE Bus' $106 million operating budget. Nassau's subsidy to the system is $2.5 million.